Hunters and Hunter Judging
in Transition
BY HALLIE MCEVOY
The dusky night rides down the sky,
And ushers in the morn;
The hounds all join in glorious cry,
The huntsman winds his horn,
And a-hunting we will go.
Henry Fielding,
A-Hunting We Will Go
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Catherine Knight
W
hen Henry Fielding wrote
the above words in 1734,
a hunting horse was just
that—a horse or pony that
would carry you safely and boldly to
follow the hounds. By the early part of
the 1900s, foxhunting enthusiasts occasionally moved their horses out of the
hunting field and into a show arena to
be judged on their style, form and way
of going. For many years, the fox
hunter and the show ring hunter were
one and the same.
Gradually, some equestrians came
to prefer showing their horses over
foxhunting them. By the 1960s and
1970s, many horsemen only rode
hunters in the show ring. The term
“field hunter” came to be used when
describing a horse that foxhunted versus a “show ring hunter.”
The jumping courses in that era
often closely resembled obstacles and
terrain encountered in the hunt field,
with coops, rolltops and logs set out on
grassy hillsides. These “outside courses” were very different from today’s
hunter ring courses. Distances were
almost always unrelated, and there
were several acceptable options in
terms of speed and boldness.
Today’s hunter courses are a far
cry from that style of hunter riding.
Hunter rings are now almost entirely
flat and call for exact striding in lines of
fences. Almost every major show runs
hunter classes on carefully crafted dirt
footing rather than grass.
Additionally, there are far more
divisions available now for the average
show rider. Although this gives equestrians more choices in what they can
accomplish with their mount, it does
mean that the show day can be very
long due to the number of classes
offered. The ultimate questions are
whether the quality of hunters has
changed over the past thirty years, and
EQUESTRIAN
if the hunter industry is flourishing
with the change in how shows are run.
Brilliance and Style
O judgment! Thou art fled to
brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason.
William Shakespeare, Julius Caesar
“I feel by the tight time schedule
that shows adhere to and the fact that
hunter classes are now run in a ring
and built on a 12-foot stride, some of
the brilliance we used to see is not as
apparent anymore,” commented Rita
Timpanaro of Smithtown, NY. Timpanaro, the 1966 American Horse
Show Association (AHSA) Medal winner, has been judging for 28 years. She
is a Registered (‘R’) judge in hunters,
hunter seat equitation and jumpers,
and is also licensed in hunter breeding
and Welsh ponies.
The officials who had the greatest
influence on Timpanaro’s own judging
are “Gordon Wright, Ray Francis,
Michael Page and Stephen Hawkins
because they are or were great horsemen and that trait carries through to
their judging legacy.” In the past few
years, Timpanaro has officiated at the
New England Equitation Championships, HITS Ocala, Littlewood,
High Prairie Farm, Gulf Coast, Fairfield County Hunt Club and Ox Ridge
horse shows.
“Now many hunters seem more
programmed, almost robot-like. But, I
still see horses at every show that I love
watching. I like to see a hunter with
impulsion and scope, but I see less
impulsion than was common 30 years
ago.” Timpanaro believes this is due to
the exact striding set up for many
hunter classes.
Judge Betty Weibel of Hiram,
OH, has judged for the past 20 years
and agrees that hunters and judging
have transformed. “As the hunter
courses have changed over the years,
from the wide open outdoor courses,
to the tighter, smaller space courses, so
has the riding and judging. Some of the
judges are too concerned with courses
being jumped in the numbers, versus
what suits the horse. You have kids
riding too hard to get down the lines in
a certain number of strides, and it’s not
always attractive for the horse or pony.
There are some really nice horses that
aren’t going on or selling because they
lack the build to make the number [of
strides].”
Top international course designer
and judge Linda Allen of Salinas, CA,
EQUESTRIAN
feels that hunters and hunter judging
have changed over the past 30 years
“…like everything else! Showing is
more commercial in so many ways,”
she said. “Plus, judging so many more
hunter rounds in a day, it is hard not to
get jaded.”
Susan Schoellkopf of Buffalo, NY,
has a unique view of hunters and the
hunter industry. As a judge, she has
officiated at such prestigious show venues as Devon and the Cosequin Winter
Equestrian Festival. Additionally, over
the past several years she has been a
frequent clinician at the USEF
Licensed Officials Clinics. She thinks
“the biggest change over the past 30
years is all shows for the hunters are in
rings instead of outside courses. Days
are much longer and there are more
divisions to judge.” This makes hunter
judging a more strenuous proposition
for officials.
Judge and trainer Susan Schoellkopf
What is obvious in speaking with
all these judges is that a good hunter
from 30 years ago would still be considered a good hunter today, but the
style of the sport has changed. Due to
the loss of outside courses, brilliance
and boldness is not as common now,
but the better hunters will still display
flashes of these traits. And the negative judging opinions on basic faults,
such as jumping unevenly, not using
the neck or back, rubbing a fence,
major pace changes, cross-cantering
and “chipping in,” remain basically
unchanged. What may be changing,
however, is how judges may score these
faults.
Numerical Scoring—Can It Work
for Hunters?
Nor is the people’s judgement always
true:
The most may err as grossly as the few.
John Dryden,
Absalom and Achitophel
Nothing has received quite as
much attention in the hunter world as
the subject of numerical scoring. Most
judges use some form of numeric scoring on their cards to keep track of each
class, but these numbers are not shared
with the competitors. The only time
when scores are announced is when a
hunter classic is being judged. Furthermore, each judge has his own scoring system, which may or may not
reflect similar numbers or percentages
given by another judge.
Generally speaking, most judges
consider a score of 90% or more to be
a very good round from a talented
horse. A score of 80% to 89% is still a
good score, but it may reflect a slight
mistake or a less talented jumper and
mover. A score of 70% to 79% is perhaps an adequate round from an average jumper. A score of 69% or less
may denote major mistakes such as
cross-cantering, wrong leads or poor
jumping form. Please remember, these
numbers only reflect how some officials judge, because everyone has their
own system. And, each judge has a certain opinion about numeric scoring.
“Judging is a matter of individual
opinions, it is subjective and there
are many grey areas in each class,”
Schoellkopf shared. “I think the numeric system is great for certain classes,
such as classics, but there is no better
system than two judges sitting together
discussing the rounds. I am not sure the
riders and owners are ready for
announced scores every time they perform as it can be demoralizing when you
constantly have low scores.”
Timpanaro loves the idea of
announced numeric scoring, but believes
it would have to be phased in gradually.
“Perhaps there could be a three minute
hold after the first 15 trips to review
scores,” she said. “This would be helpful
because sometimes, as a judge, you start
out scoring your first horses harder and
you could revise your scores at this time.
After a while, perhaps scoring could be
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63
File photo PMG
Courtesy Chronicle of the Horse/Tricia Booker
Rick Bates
Although much has changed over the past 30 years, a good hunter remains a good hunter, no matter what era. Left: Ruxton,
who competed in the 1970s, became the mold for future generations of hunters. Center: Rox Dene, who competed in the
1990s, was a star hunter that captured the hearts and imaginations of spectators and judges alike. Right: GG Valentine is the
latest star of the show ring showing classic hunter style.
announced after five or ten rounds. I
think it would be tough to announce
scores after every round.”
Allen doubts that the “art” of
hunter judging can ever truly be
replaced, as some riders want, by a
definitive numeric system similar to
the one that is used for dressage. “It is
not likely to happen since change is
antithetical to so many in our industry,” she said. “Dressage judging gives
a clearer picture of what each
horse/rider did during the test and
exactly how the judge evaluated it.
There is little to be learned by the
competitor observing the average
hunter class (or usually only parts of a
given class), and with back-to-back
rounds and classes the norm, it is nearly impossible for the average competitor to follow how the results are
arrived at. Dressage style judging does
not lead to the fault-and-out style of
judging that a few officials seem to find
makes their job easier.”
Until a standardized form of scoring is arrived at by the USEF, judges
will continue to use the scoring system
that makes the most sense to them. In
judging hunters, it is difficult to assign
scores based on deductions for faults,
because not every fault is the same. Of
Get Educated!
Interested in learning more about hunter judging or becoming a licensed official?
Contact the USEF’s Licensed Officials Department for a schedule of future clinics and
educational seminars. Even if you don’t intend to become a licensed judge, the USEF
clinics are a great way to help you understand more about the sport.
There are two books which you may find helpful in your quest to learning more
about hunter judging. Anna Jane White-Mullen’s classic Judging Hunters and Hunt
Seat Equitation: A Comprehensive Guide for Exhibitors and Judges remains a popular guide for both newly licensed and veteran judges.
Horse Show Judging for Beginners—Getting Started as a Horse Show Judge by
Hallie McEvoy provides a starting point for equestrians with an interest in judging. It
is also useful for parents of junior riders in explaining the different classes and requirements for each division.
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APRIL 2005
two horses who both “hang” a leg
while jumping, one is usually not as
“poor” as the other.
Most judges prefer to judge a
hunter based on his positive qualities,
rather than dwelling on the negative.
“I always reward quality and good
jumping style,” shared Schoellkopf. “I
want to see good rounds.”
Weibel hopes for the best from
competitors. “I spent all last weekend
judging a local ‘C’ show, and I can
speak for most judges who have been in
a position that they are hoping beyond
hope for the exhibitors to come in and
do a good job,” Weibel stated. “I do
believe judges want to be positive and
don’t know anyone who is looking for
the worst in a horse, only the best, but
sometimes we have to dig deep to find
it! There is nothing more dissatisfying
than having to pin a class and not have
obvious winners, but often we are having to choose between the lesser of two
(or three) evils. Judges sit down knowing what they want to see and they
have a picture in their mind of the
standard they are seeking. They aren’t
sitting there hoping for a cross-canter
or rub to make their job easier! I
believe every judge is looking for the
exhibitors to do their best. I have had
to hold back a cheer when I see a really good round in the midst of many
mediocre rides.”
EQUESTRIAN
fault as if he were a first year green
hunter. A judge must differentiate
between the hunter divisions and pin
them according to the ‘ideal’ for each
division.
Allen agrees with Schoellkopf and
Weibel. “I truly try to be a positive
type of judge. Pinning a horse that just
doesn’t leave a good impression as to
their capabilities because they are the
only one who ‘didn’t make a mistake’ is
disappointing to me. And, I think it is
bad for the sport in the long term. I
would like to see good qualities
rewarded just as much as small errors
are penalized.”
The Future of the Hunter Industry
We should all be concerned about the
future because we will have to spend the
rest of our lives there.
Charles Franklin Kettering,
Seed for Thought
Politics: Real or Imagined?
Weibel is enthusiastic about the
current state and future of the hunter
business. “I think the hunter industry
has never been healthier!” she said.
“With better breeding incentives, bigger prize money, hunter classics and
professional awards, I think the
hunters are getting the recognition
they deserve.”
When a person has an interest in a
transaction substantial enough that it does or
might reasonably affect his or her independent judgement in acts he or she performs for
another, it is a conflict of interest.
Vincent Barry,
Moral Issues in Business
EQUESTRIAN
Laurie Weiner
Many online chat rooms and bulletin boards are filled with accusations
of judging politics or conflicts of interest. There is no denying that these
two items sometimes do happen at
horse shows. It is, however, a relatively rare actual occurrence.
“It is easy to blame the judge when
you don’t succeed, but truth is, the
judge can only rate what they see
before them,” Weibel explained.
“Most exhibitors never watch an entire
class and are only concerned with their
own performance, versus comparing it
to the others in the class. The judge
doesn’t care that it was your horse’s
best performance ever, only how they
did in comparison to the others in that
particular class—this seems to be a
common area competitors don’t understand.”
In other words, the vast majority
of judges aren’t out to get you based on
past judging or business experiences.
They want to see horses and riders
perform well and rank them on their
performance. Another consideration
to bear in mind is where the judge is
sitting and how their view may be different than your view from the ingate.
A round may look beautiful from the
ingate that looks entirely different to
the judge sitting at the side of the ring.
The division a horse is entered in
also has a bearing on how a class will be
judged. Pace and attitude that may be
suitable for a regular working hunter
(such as bold and scopey) may not be
appropriate for the children’s hunter
division, where a very steady and calm
round should be rewarded. Likewise, a
short stirrup hunter should be very safe
above all other attributes, and if he is a
bit slow or lacks pace, it is not as big a
The late Victor Hugo-Vidal was one
of the most positive hunter judges
ever to grace the show ring. “I love
watching the good and talented in
our sport (doing well, as well as
making mistakes), and I love finding
new ‘diamonds in the rough’ and
giving them their start,” he said.
“Hopefully the recognition will
continue to grow, and there will be an
emphasis on helping spectators to
understand the beauty of the hunters
and judging, just as it has happened in
other sports, such as figure skating.
Shows can educate exhibitors about
hunters in their programs, via
announcer explanations, meet the rider
“I love pinning the steadfast old
trooper over the quality animal
when the trooper outperforms him,
or rewarding the rider with good
habits, gleaned through lots of
practice, over the obviously talented
and gifted rider who has made an
error,” said the late hunter judge
Victor Hugo-Vidal. “That’s what
competition is all about, and that’s
why each class is a clean sheet of
paper to mark up and come out
with a new set of results.”
events and other such programs.
These educational programs will only
help the shows to increase public
appreciation of hunters.”
Schoellkopf said, “The hunter
industry is healthy, but we need to have
more money in it. We are competing
for the same money we did 20 years
ago.” In addition to being a judge,
Schoellkopf speaks from a trainer’s
perspective. She attends many of the
biggest shows in the country with her
head rider Jennifer Alfano, who specializes exclusively in the hunter division.
Many trainers and judges echo
Schoellkopf’s sentiments and hope to
see more money in hunter classes over
the coming years. Such programs as
the World Championship Hunter
Rider events help promote hunters and
hunter riders and offer more in prize
money.
Ultimately, it is up to each show to
do their part. Generally, the hunter
divisions are the largest at any given
hunter/jumper show, far eclipsing the
equitation and jumper classes. Shows
owe it to their hunter customers to
provide the best judging possible, make
the shows welcoming, the footing
good, the stabling safe and the prize
money ample. ■
A resident of northern Vermont, Hallie McEvoy’s articles
and photographs have appeared in EQUESTRIAN
magazine, as well as innumerable other publications.
Her second book, Horse Show Judging for Beginners
was recently published by The Lyons Press. In addition
to her writing, Hallie is a USAE-licensed recorded
judge in hunters and hunter seat equitation. She can
be reached via e-mail at [email protected].
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